Broken Arrow Public Schools

Overcast

A chance of freezing drizzle before 3am, then a chance of rain or freezing rain. Cloudy, with a low around 30. North wind 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%.

Thursday

Showers likely after noon. Cloudy, with a high near 43. North wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible.

Thursday Night

A 50 percent chance of showers before midnight. Cloudy, with a low around 35. Calm wind becoming west around 5 mph. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.

Overcast

A chance of freezing drizzle before 3am, then a chance of rain or freezing rain. Cloudy, with a low around 30. North wind 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%.

Thursday

Showers likely after noon. Cloudy, with a high near 43. North wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible.

Thursday Night

A 50 percent chance of showers before midnight. Cloudy, with a low around 35. Calm wind becoming west around 5 mph. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.

Sequoyah Middle School choirs perform with OBU Women’s Glee Club during their Mid-Winter Concert

52e2e82b765e8The Bisonettes, OBU’s Women’s Glee Club

The Bisonettes, OBU’s Women’s Glee Club

To prepare Sequoyah Middle School’s choir groups for their spring choral contests, Vocal Music Director Meghan Loyd has organized a one-night only concert that will allow her students to practice their talents in front of an audience. Taking place at the Broken Arrow Performing Arts Center, Sequoyah choir students will be joined by the Oklahoma Baptist University Women’s Glee Club, the Bisonettes, on Feb. 11 at 7 p.m. The concert is free and open to the public.

“The idea came about when I asked Dr. James Vernon, the director of the Bisonettes, to work with my choirs and conduct a master class with my students,” said Loyd, a graduate of OBU and a four year member of the Bisonettes. “He and I decided that the idea of a joint concert was really exciting. So during the day of the concert, my students will be working with Dr. Vernon on how to improve their performance for contest, and that night, we will present what we worked on during the day along with music from the Bisonettes.”

52e2e82b765e8Sequoyah Middle School choir

Sequoyah Middle School choir

The concert will feature Sequoyah’s Beginning Choir, a 22 member choir of sixth grade students; Concert Choir, a 58 member non-auditioned choir of seventh and eighth grade girls and boys; Select Choir, a 29 member auditioned choir of seventh and eighth grade girls; and 50 Bisonettes.

“My students tell me that sometimes they learn more from just listening to other choirs perform,” Loyd said. “Not only do I want to teach my students proper choral technique and performance skills, but I want them to be skilled listeners of music. I’m excited for my students to have the opportunity to listen to a choir with a history of excellence and under the direction of such a skilled conductor.”

Bisonettes Director Dr. Vernon said he is excited for the opportunity to work with Broken Arrow choir students before they perform in front of a live audience that evening.

“From the student’s perspective, they are able to work with an outside choral director who can give them additional, varied and constructive feedback on their work,” Vernon said. “From my perspective, I learn something new at every visit to a school – things that motivate students to excel at their chosen extracurricular activity, the types of music they listen to and enjoy, and how different learning styles play a role in making choral groups flow.”

Both Loyd and Vernon hope that this concert event will lead to additional partnership opportunities for the district’s other vocal music and instrumental programs and university performance groups.

“Partnerships between colleges and common schools create continuity in the subject matter, provide excellent feedback for students and teachers, and assist with creativity,” Vernon said.